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Northern Beaches Council area

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander profile - Qualifications

33.9% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Beaches Council area have a tertiary qualification.

Highest qualification achieved shows the level of qualification, school or non-school, which is the highest that a person has achieved. This topic is useful for looking at the education and work prospects of the First Nations community, how many have completed schooling, and how many have gone on to University or TAFE qualifications.

This is an important indicator of the socio-economic status of the First Nations community in the area, and should be viewed in conjunction with the more detailed Highest Level of Schooling and Education Institute Attending variables, as well as Employment Status.

Derived from the Census questions:

'What is the level of the highest qualification the person has completed?' and 'What is the highest year of primary or secondary school the person has completed?'

Persons aged 15 years and over

Highest qualification achieved
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples - Northern Beaches Council area20212011Change
Qualification levelNumber%New South Wales - First Nations %Number%New South Wales - First Nations %2011 to 2021
Bachelor or Higher degree27922.411.38913.27.4+190
Advanced diploma or diploma14411.68.17811.55.3+66
Certificate III & IV Level24819.920.312818.914.9+120
Certificate I & II Level30.238.40--39.6+3
Year 10 and above40132.20.223735.10.3+164
Year 9 and below786.312.4649.516.9+14
No educational attainment90.70.681.20.6+1
Not stated846.78.77210.715.0+12
Total people age 15+1,246100.0100.0676100.0100.0+570

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Highest qualification achieved, 2021
Highest qualification achieved, 2021 Not stated, New South Wales - First Nations: 8.7% No educational attainment, New South Wales - First Nations: 0.6% Year 9 and below, New South Wales - First Nations: 12.4% Year 10 and above, New South Wales - First Nations: 0.2% Certificate I & II Level, New South Wales - First Nations: 38.4% Certificate III & IV Level, New South Wales - First Nations: 20.3% Advanced diploma or diploma, New South Wales - First Nations: 8.1% Bachelor or Higher degree, New South Wales - First Nations: 11.3% Not stated, Northern Beaches Council area - First Nations: 6.7% No educational attainment, Northern Beaches Council area - First Nations: 0.7% Year 9 and below, Northern Beaches Council area - First Nations: 6.3% Year 10 and above, Northern Beaches Council area - First Nations: 32.2% Certificate I & II Level, Northern Beaches Council area - First Nations: 0.2% Certificate III & IV Level, Northern Beaches Council area - First Nations: 19.9% Advanced diploma or diploma, Northern Beaches Council area - First Nations: 11.6% Bachelor or Higher degree, Northern Beaches Council area - First Nations: 22.4%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2021 (Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Change in highest qualification achieved, 2011 to 2021
Change in highest qualification achieved, 2011 to 2021 Not stated, Northern Beaches Council area: +12 No educational attainment, Northern Beaches Council area: +1 Year 9 and below, Northern Beaches Council area: +14 Year 10 and above, Northern Beaches Council area: +164 Certificate I & II Level, Northern Beaches Council area: +3 Certificate III & IV Level, Northern Beaches Council area: +120 Advanced diploma or diploma, Northern Beaches Council area: +66 Bachelor or Higher degree, Northern Beaches Council area: +190
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 and 2021 (Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).

Dominant groups

Analysis of the qualifications of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Beaches Council area in 2021 compared to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in New South Wales shows that there was a higher proportion of people holding formal qualifications (Bachelor or higher degree; Advanced Diploma or Diploma; or Vocational qualifications), and a similar proportion of people with no formal qualifications.

Overall, 53.9% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 and over held educational qualifications, and 0.7% had no qualifications, compared with 39.7% and 0.6% respectively for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in New South Wales.

The major differences between highest educational attainment held by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of the Northern Beaches Council area and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in New South Wales were:

  • A larger percentage of people who completed year 11 or 12 (32.2% compared to 0.2%)
  • A larger percentage of people who completed a bachelor degree level or higher (22.4% compared to 11.3%)
  • A smaller percentage of people Certificate I & II Level (0.2% compared to 38.4%)
  • A smaller percentage of people who completed year 10 or below (6.3% compared to 12.4%)

Emerging groups

The largest changes in highest educational attainment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in the Northern Beaches Council area between 2011 and 2021 were in those with:

  • who completed a bachelor degree level or higher (+190 people)
  • who completed year 11 or 12 (+164 people)
  • who completed vocational qualification (+120 people)
  • who completed an advanced diploma or diploma (+66 people)
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